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5.13.2013

Walkin' Horse 3" English Bridle with Linen Strop

Overview
Walkin' Horse Strops are handmade in the U.S.A and can be difficult to come by given stock inventory levels are generally low. The English Bridle hides are tanned in the United Kingdom.

Full disclosure: I have little credibility in writing a strop product review. This is my first strop and I am still fairly new to straight razors (63 shaves completed), so I have nothing to compare this to.

Design
My Walkin' Horse Strop is 3" x 17" and features dark brown English Bridle leather and genuine linen for the preparation side. Both sides have individual, D-ring handles to ensure you are able to get the surface taught before stropping. The opposite end includes a swivel clip for easy hanging and maneuvering.

All materials appear to be of good quality and the strop is rather attractive. Overall, it is a piece that I am proud to hang in the bathroom (though Ashley may feel differently).

Below are some photos I took using an iPhone 4S of my Walkin' Horse Strop. No editing has been done to these photos.

Walkin' Horse 3" English Bridle - Leather Side

Walkin' Horse 3" English Bridle - Linen Side

Walkin' Horse 3" English Bridle - Leather and Linen Sides

Walkin' Horse 3" English Bridle - Craftsmanship

Function
From a functional standpoint, this strop has a high friction coefficient (draw), the lowest amount of maintenance required, and reduced sensory communication (feedback). While it will show signs of wear, English Bridle leather is pretty tough.

In terms of care and maintenance, simply hand rub the leather daily. The natural oils in your palm get the job done. You may use the Dovo yellow strop treatment or a tiny drop of Neatsfoot compound on the leather; however, these will discolor the strop and have minimal effect on the draw given English Bridle already has a substantial amount of draw.

One of the important aspects of stropping is being able get feedback on your technique. Because of its tough surface, the strop plays back limited audio communication so you have to really focus on the stropping rhythm to ensure a proper angle, pressure and cadence.

Because of the limited maintenance required, I found the Walkin' Horse English Bridle to be a solid beginner's strop and an overall good value for the money.

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